FHSAA doesn't do some local teams favors with proposed districts

New Smyrna Beach, Father Lopez would both see increased travel with the proposed new football districts the next two seasons.

BUDDY SHACKLETTESTAFF WRITER

DAYTONA BEACH — The Florida High School Athletic Association released its football districts for the next two seasons, and it didn't do Atlantic, Father Lopez and New Smyrna Beach any favors.

Father Lopez was put in a nearly all-Gainesville district and will also have to make at least one trip to Tallahassee in one of the next two seasons.

New Smyrna Beach moves up from Class 6A to 7A and finds itself in a district with all Duval County teams.

And Atlantic moves down from Class 5A to 4A and finds itself in a nearly all-Brevard County district that also includes Orlando Jones.

Schools can appeal to be moved into a district of similar-sized schools that would limit travel and cost.

The Barracudas, who won District 9-6A last fall, were moved up to Class 7A in District 3 with Jacksonville Atlantic Coast, Neptune Beach Fletcher and Orange Park's Fleming Island and Oakleaf.

"We're going to submit an appeal because financially it just doesn't make sense,'' NSB football coach Lance Jenkins said. "We're going to try to get back in the district we were in because right now you're looking at two trips to Jacksonville and two trips to Orange Park, and financially that's not a good deal for us.''

Despite the travel, Lopez will not appeal, according to Father Lopez athletic director Trevor Berryhill.

The Green Wave are slated to play in District 2-3A along with Tallahassee Maclay, Ocala Trinity Catholic and three schools from Gainesville — Oak Hall, P.K. Yonge and St. Francis Catholic.

“Oak Hall has already said they're going independent and apparently St. Francis is going to follow suit. We'll have two trips one year and one trip the next year,'' Berryhill said. “That will be some distance, but I think it's an opportunity for our kids to play somebody that our kids normally wouldn't get to play.''

Atlantic moves down to 4A in District 5 with state power Cocoa, Cocoa Beach, Orlando Jones and Cocoa Space Coast.

Matanzas was moved up from 5A to 6A in District 4, which is loaded with tradition-rich programs Ponte Vedra Nease, St. Augustine, St. Johns Bartram Trail and St. Johns Creekside.

DeLand, Flagler Palm Coast and Spruce Creek added two teams and lost another (Fletcher) from District 1-8A. The newcomers to the district are Jacksonville First Coast and Ocala West Port. The holdovers are Jacksonville Mandarin and Sandalwood.

Calvary Christian, Trinity Christian and Warner Christian lost two teams from District 3-2A — Melbourne Florida Air and Father Lopez — and keep Vero Beach St. Edward's and Ocala St. John Lutheran.

Taylor lost The Villages from District 8-1A but added Fort Meade and Frostproof to go with holdovers Crescent City and Wildwood.

District 9-6A lost NSB but remained an All-Volusia district with Deltona, Mainland, Pine Ridge and Seabreeze.